| New Living Translation | New American Standard Bible 1995 |
| 1Oh, I wish you were my brother, who nursed at my mother’s breasts. Then I could kiss you no matter who was watching, and no one would criticize me. | 1"Oh that you were like a brother to me Who nursed at my mother's breasts. If I found you outdoors, I would kiss you; No one would despise me, either. |
| 2I would bring you to my childhood home, and there you would teach me. I would give you spiced wine to drink, my sweet pomegranate wine. | 2"I would lead you and bring you Into the house of my mother, who used to instruct me; I would give you spiced wine to drink from the juice of my pomegranates. |
| 3Your left arm would be under my head, and your right arm would embrace me. | 3"Let his left hand be under my head And his right hand embrace me." |
| 4Promise me, O women of Jerusalem, not to awaken love until the time is right. Young Women of Jerusalem | 4"I want you to swear, O daughters of Jerusalem, Do not arouse or awaken my love Until she pleases." |
| 5Who is this sweeping in from the desert, leaning on her lover? Young Woman I aroused you under the apple tree, where your mother gave you birth, where in great pain she delivered you. | 5"Who is this coming up from the wilderness Leaning on her beloved?" "Beneath the apple tree I awakened you; There your mother was in labor with you, There she was in labor and gave you birth. |
| 6Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm. For love is as strong as death, its jealousy as enduring as the grave. Love flashes like fire, the brightest kind of flame. | 6"Put me like a seal over your heart, Like a seal on your arm. For love is as strong as death, Jealousy is as severe as Sheol; Its flashes are flashes of fire, The very flame of the LORD. |
| 7Many waters cannot quench love, nor can rivers drown it. If a man tried to buy love with all his wealth, his offer would be utterly scorned. The Young Woman’s Brothers | 7"Many waters cannot quench love, Nor will rivers overflow it; If a man were to give all the riches of his house for love, It would be utterly despised." |
| 8We have a little sister too young to have breasts. What will we do for our sister if someone asks to marry her? | 8"We have a little sister, And she has no breasts; What shall we do for our sister On the day when she is spoken for? |
| 9If she is a virgin, like a wall, we will protect her with a silver tower. But if she is promiscuous, like a swinging door, we will block her door with a cedar bar. Young Woman | 9"If she is a wall, We will build on her a battlement of silver; But if she is a door, We will barricade her with planks of cedar." |
| 10I was a virgin, like a wall; now my breasts are like towers. When my lover looks at me, he is delighted with what he sees. | 10"I was a wall, and my breasts were like towers; Then I became in his eyes as one who finds peace. |
| 11Solomon has a vineyard at Baal-hamon, which he leases out to tenant farmers. Each of them pays a thousand pieces of silver for harvesting its fruit. | 11"Solomon had a vineyard at Baal-hamon; He entrusted the vineyard to caretakers. Each one was to bring a thousand shekels of silver for its fruit. |
| 12But my vineyard is mine to give, and Solomon need not pay a thousand pieces of silver. But I will give two hundred pieces to those who care for its vines. Young Man | 12"My very own vineyard is at my disposal; The thousand shekels are for you, Solomon, And two hundred are for those who take care of its fruit." |
| 13O my darling, lingering in the gardens, your companions are fortunate to hear your voice. Let me hear it, too! Young Woman | 13"O you who sit in the gardens, My companions are listening for your voice-- Let me hear it!" |
| 14Come away, my love! Be like a gazelle or a young stag on the mountains of spices. | 14"Hurry, my beloved, And be like a gazelle or a young stag On the mountains of spices." |
| Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. | New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org |
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